Hacker, Rigger, or Technomancer. (lots of questions), If you are the only tech in the group, which would do a better job? Options Track this topic Email this topic Print this topic Download this topic Subscribe to this forum Display Modes Outline Switch to: Standard Switch to: Linear+

[Justin]

Is it just me, or does no one really get super excited about hackers, riggers, and technomancers? I see posts about magic or street samurais all the time. Adepts too. But where is the love for the techies?

I have a new game starting soon, with five players (including myself) and of course a GM. I don't know what two of the other players will be playing, or what role they want to cover for the group. I've drafted up one character idea, full with a character sheet and backstory (A Dryad, who is a dedicated summoner. Have a full history, and tons of quirks-- should be fun to play)... But as things stand, no one has chosen to play a hacker, technomancer, or rigger of any sort. I think it would be fun to play a tech-geek or gear-head character, and if the other two undecided players in my group don't want to cover a tech role, I think I might put my current mage on hold, and play a tech guy instead. I'm actually pretty excited about it, and want to prepare a character sheet.

So, assuming a group only has one go-to tech guy-- What would perform their role better? What is the best way to go about it? Should I go with a mundane hacker who dabbles in rigging? A hacker who is chromed up, using cyber-limbs to boost his low Strength, Agility, and Body? A technomancer?

Though I've seen quite a few postings on creative ways for hackers to do things, I haven't seen much of a clear guide on what is needed to create an effective hacking character (Obviously an amazing commlink decked out with high rating programs). What qualities are best to choose?

What about building an effective Technomancer? Any other qualities that are great at creation for them? Would they be as good, or better than a mundane hacker with access to lots of money?

Oh, and... How are AI as player characters? Can they do really well too? Or is it too limiting?

[Cthulhudreams]

Well yeah, you'd do that too if you were doing it directly. Just that when you log into the Fuchi Main Filing System, there are over a billion Icons and you have no idea which one is which.

I'll just note though that not one single Shadowrun Missions includes in the description of the nodes how many ICONs are loaded, which leads me to conclude that the developers do not actually use the rules they wrote down.

[Jericho Alar]

Well yeah, you'd do that too if you were doing it directly. Just that when you log into the Fuchi Main Filing System, there are over a billion Icons and you have no idea which one is which.

I'll just note though that not one single Shadowrun Missions includes in the description of the nodes how many ICONs are loaded, which leads me to conclude that the developers do not actually use the rules they wrote down.

I think the assumption is the same as in the past - you can basically see and identify (more or less as fast as you can locate stuff you actually want to play with) everything in your immediate logical vicinity. this is handwavium of the 'your commlink is doing the work in the background' rule. since you rarely enter a system immediately in combat it's usually ok to assume this, since in a few minutes your 'link will be keeping up just fine with your data searches. -> iow - icons you haven't already processed through your background matrix perception checks aren't rendering *at all*.

the explicit matrix perception test exists for unstealthed icons to let you "get info" so to speak, which shows you stuff you wouldn't normally want up front in the visual metaphor.

when you do enter in combat (typically because you triggered an alert as you hacked in) I tend to enforce pretty strict rules concerning resolving icons, including not allowing you to immediately identify when new agents/sprites/IC have launched.